A consortium of rhizobacteria and fungal endophyte suppress the root-knot nematode parasite in tomato

Biocontrol of root-knot nematode with a consortium of bacteria and fungi is an emerging field with environmental and commercial applications. We inoculated tomato roots with the endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica, and two plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (Bacillus pumilus and Pseudomonas fluorescens). We demonstrate the effective suppression of root-knot nematode infection (Meloidogyne incognita). The endophyte was found to confer the most to plant immunity to suppress the nematode parasite. Our trio of bio-agents improved growth of infected plants, but without new benefits compared to single-species treatments. The nematode suppressive effect of the endophyte P. indica was decreased in the presence of the two rhizobacterial strains, due to their antagonism against the fungal endophyte.